3 ms·

Keep in mind that sweet potatoes have a much lower glycemic index than normal potatoes, and in fact many other carbs, which probably explains the centenarians.

Keep in mind that sweet potatoes have a much lower glycemic index than normal potatoes, and in fact many other carbs, which probably explains the centenarians. Having normal potatoes as a staple will reduce your lifespan.

hachiya 17y ago
Glycemic index is not the only determining factor of a food's worth, nor has it been shown to necessarily carry much weight at all. Glycemic load has been considered by some to be more important. Chocolate cake has been measured to have a glycemic index of 38, while a baked potato is 85. Heck, fructose, pure sugar, has a glycemic index of 19, while brown rice is at 87. ( Numbers from "International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002" Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Jul;76(1):5-56.) I don't think anyone is going to say chocolate cake or pure fructose is healthier than a baked potato or brown rice. So there is certainly more to a food's nutritional value than the glycemic index, which has been shown to be on shaky ground. http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/glycemic.htm http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/glycemic.htm ( Glycemic Index - Not Ready for Prime Time ) > Having normal potatoes as a staple will reduce your lifespan. Reference please? The assertion that potatoes will reduce one's lifespan is utter nonsense. Reduce it compared to what? An Atkins diet? How well did that work out for Dr. Atkins? Peruvians have traditionally used potatoes as a staple, and even in modern times they have 1/4 the heart disease death rate of the USA. As heart disease is the leading cause of death, this is significant. In fact, this "potato capital of the world" has obesity and diabetes rates which pale in comparison to the USA. As we have such an abundant variety available to us today, it is possible to pick our own staples, and I personally prefer fruits or sweet potatoes to regular potatoes. However, the fact remains that even regular potatoes are a healthy choice, provided they are consumed unrefined. French fries are a disaster of a food, but nobody is advocating these highly processed potatoes as a staple food. The below articles clearly demonstrate that potatoes are healthy and will not "reduce your lifespan". Many references are provided within. http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/may/potato.htm http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/may/potato.htm ( International Year of the Potato, 2008 ) http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall020400pupotatoesarepillars.htm http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall020400pupotatoesarep... ( Potatoes Are Pillars of Worldwide Nutrition )
- daveungerer 17y ago
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index Pretty much contradicts everything said by the page on glycemic index on www.drmcdougall.com and also addresses the points you raised above. I guess the question now is: Who do you trust? WikiPedia or a guy peddling DVDs and books?
  - hachiya 17y ago
    Dr. McDougall offers for free all the information necessary to follow his program. It is linked from the front page. Direct link: http://drmcdougall.com/free.html http://drmcdougall.com/free.html > Pretty much contradicts everything said by the page on glycemic index on www.drmcdougall.com and also addresses the points you raised above. Care to enumerate any contradictions? You haven't given a single example.
    - daveungerer 17y ago
      Fine, I'll mark statements by Dr. McDougall with [D], WikiPedia with [W]. A few brief examples: [D]: Worldwide, populations of hundreds of millions of people who eat high GI potatoes (Peruvians) and rice (Asians) are trim and active for a lifetime. [W]: The high consumption of legumes in South America and fresh fruit and vegetables in Asia likely lowers the glycemic effect in these individuals. The mixing of high and low GI carbohydrates produces moderate GI values. [D]: the American Diabetic Association dismisses the value of GI in treating diabetes. [W]: The glycemic index is supported by leading international health organisations including the American Diabetes Association. If you read Dr. McDougall's material carefully, you'll see him stringing together sets of unrelated facts and strawmen in such a way that it almost appears that a valid argument is being made. Like this gem: [D]: "For the most efficient means of replenishing spent glycogen reserves, athletes have learned to choose foods that have a high GI. Selecting foods with a high GI is just as sound advice for anyone yearning to be strong and energetic throughout the day—not just for athletes." The second statement does not follow from the first. Doing what athletes do to replenish their reserves when you haven't even used yours is incredibly bad advice. I'm speechless.

hachiya 17y ago

Glycemic index is not the only determining factor of a food's worth, nor has it been shown to necessarily carry much weight at all. Glycemic load has been considered by some to be more important. Chocolate cake has been measured to have a glycemic index of 38, while a baked potato is 85. Heck, fructose, pure sugar, has a glycemic index of 19, while brown rice is at 87. ( Numbers from "International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002" Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Jul;76(1):5-56.) I don't think anyone is going to say chocolate cake or pure fructose is healthier than a baked potato or brown rice. So there is certainly more to a food's nutritional value than the glycemic index, which has been shown to be on shaky ground. http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/glycemic.htm http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/glycemic.htm ( Glycemic Index - Not Ready for Prime Time ) > Having normal potatoes as a staple will reduce your lifespan. Reference please? The assertion that potatoes will reduce one's lifespan is utter nonsense. Reduce it compared to what? An Atkins diet? How well did that work out for Dr. Atkins? Peruvians have traditionally used potatoes as a staple, and even in modern times they have 1/4 the heart disease death rate of the USA. As heart disease is the leading cause of death, this is significant. In fact, this "potato capital of the world" has obesity and diabetes rates which pale in comparison to the USA. As we have such an abundant variety available to us today, it is possible to pick our own staples, and I personally prefer fruits or sweet potatoes to regular potatoes. However, the fact remains that even regular potatoes are a healthy choice, provided they are consumed unrefined. French fries are a disaster of a food, but nobody is advocating these highly processed potatoes as a staple food. The below articles clearly demonstrate that potatoes are healthy and will not "reduce your lifespan". Many references are provided within. http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/may/potato.htm http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/may/potato.htm ( International Year of the Potato, 2008 ) http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall020400pupotatoesarepillars.htm http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall020400pupotatoesarep... ( Potatoes Are Pillars of Worldwide Nutrition )

daveungerer 17y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index Pretty much contradicts everything said by the page on glycemic index on www.drmcdougall.com and also addresses the points you raised above. I guess the question now is: Who do you trust? WikiPedia or a guy peddling DVDs and books?
- hachiya 17y ago
  Dr. McDougall offers for free all the information necessary to follow his program. It is linked from the front page. Direct link: http://drmcdougall.com/free.html http://drmcdougall.com/free.html > Pretty much contradicts everything said by the page on glycemic index on www.drmcdougall.com and also addresses the points you raised above. Care to enumerate any contradictions? You haven't given a single example.
  - daveungerer 17y ago
    Fine, I'll mark statements by Dr. McDougall with [D], WikiPedia with [W]. A few brief examples: [D]: Worldwide, populations of hundreds of millions of people who eat high GI potatoes (Peruvians) and rice (Asians) are trim and active for a lifetime. [W]: The high consumption of legumes in South America and fresh fruit and vegetables in Asia likely lowers the glycemic effect in these individuals. The mixing of high and low GI carbohydrates produces moderate GI values. [D]: the American Diabetic Association dismisses the value of GI in treating diabetes. [W]: The glycemic index is supported by leading international health organisations including the American Diabetes Association. If you read Dr. McDougall's material carefully, you'll see him stringing together sets of unrelated facts and strawmen in such a way that it almost appears that a valid argument is being made. Like this gem: [D]: "For the most efficient means of replenishing spent glycogen reserves, athletes have learned to choose foods that have a high GI. Selecting foods with a high GI is just as sound advice for anyone yearning to be strong and energetic throughout the day—not just for athletes." The second statement does not follow from the first. Doing what athletes do to replenish their reserves when you haven't even used yours is incredibly bad advice. I'm speechless.